Dawn® and Port of LA Celebrate International Bird Rescue’s Devotion to Marine Wildlife with 45th Anniversary Celebration
National Geographic Photographer Joel Sartore Joins Dawn to Honor
International Bird Rescue’s Legacy of Mitigating Human Impact on Aquatic
Aviary Wildlife
CINCINNATI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–This year marks a milestone for Dawn’s wildlife partner, International
Bird Rescue (Bird Rescue) – it has been 45 years since the oil spill
that led directly to the creation of Bird Rescue. In January 1971, two
oil tankers collided in foggy conditions near the Golden Gate Bridge.
The ruptured tankers spilled at least 800,000 gallons of crude oil,
affecting 7,000 birds. Volunteers collected nearly 4,300 of them and
brought them to makeshift rescue centers, but only about 300 birds were
successfully rehabilitated and released.
Following the spill, Bird Rescue was officially hatched in April of 1971
at Berkeley’s Aquatic Park. Since then, it has led oiled bird rescue
efforts in over 220 oil spills in more than a dozen countries.
“From an environmental tragedy 45 years ago, Bird Rescue was born to
deliver on the promise of mitigating the human impact on seabirds and
other aquatic species through response, rehabilitation, and research,”
said JD Bergeron, Executive Director, International Bird Rescue. “Our
work these past four decades would not have been achieved without the
support of our volunteers, the San Pedro community and Dawn.”
Dawn joined Bird Rescue at their San Pedro, Calif. facility this weekend
where community guests got a behind-the-scenes look at the impactful and
profound work happening at the wildlife rescue center. The anniversary
celebration also featured guest speaker and photographer Joel Sartore,
who photographed oiled wildlife during the Deepwater Horizon spill for
National Geographic.
“International Bird Rescue is such an admirable, vital organization and
I am so happy I could celebrate with them and Dawn today,” said Sartore.
“While I was photographing oiled wildlife during the Deepwater Horizon
oil spill, I saw firsthand how much work the Bird Rescue team and
volunteers do to save thousands of marine birds each year. I applaud
Bird Rescue’s hard work and conservation efforts over the past 45 years
– it’s absolutely critical that we get people to care about wildlife and
the environment.”
In their 45th year, Bird Rescue continues to bring excellence in marine
bird response and rehabilitation, as well as a renewed focus on
research, education, and outreach, especially to children, the next
generation of wildlife and nature stewards.
“Dawn is honored to celebrate International Bird Rescue’s 45th
anniversary, and especially the volunteers and community who make
wildlife rescue possible,” said Chris Laird, North America Dish Care
Brand Director, P&G. “We’re proud that for over 40 years, Dawn has been
supporting wildlife rescue rehabilitation centers with its product to
clean animals affected by oil pollution.”
DAWN HELPS SAVE WILDLIFE
Independent studies have proven Dawn Dish Soap to be the most effective
dishwashing detergent for cleaning oiled animals, heralded because it
removes tough grease while being gentle on animals’ delicate skin and
feathers. As such, Dawn is the only dishwashing brand trusted by
wildlife rescue experts for decades. Since 2006, Dawn has donated more
than 100,000 bottles of dishwashing liquid and financial support to its
wildlife partners, International Bird Rescue and The Marine Mammal
Center. These donations have helped these organizations clean more than
75,000 marine animals in the United States.
To join Dawn in supporting marine wildlife, consumers can visit bird-rescue.org.
For more information about the Dawn family of products, visit www.dawn-dish.com.
ABOUT PROCTER & GAMBLE
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ABOUT INTERNATIONAL BIRD RESCUE
For 45 years, International Bird Rescue has been a global leader in
responding to man-made disasters affecting wildlife, such as oil spills
and marine debris. In addition to a fully-equipped emergency response
center in Alaska, Bird Rescue runs two world-class wildlife centers in
California which care for more than 5,000 animals each year, including
pelicans, herons, shorebirds, and other aquatic species. This is made
possible by over 60,000 volunteer hours kindly provided by a diverse
group of retirees, nurses, veterinary students, and others. To date,
their response teams have led rescue efforts in more than 200 spills
across six continents. Visit www.Bird-Rescue.org
to learn more.
Contacts
Procter & Gamble
Mandy Ciccarella, 513-983-6628
ciccarella.aj@pg.com
or
Citizen
Relations
Chelsea Levy, 213-996-3808
chelsea.levy@citizenrelations.com
